Mines of Gal Dur

[Mesix]

I like the Mines of Gal Dur, but I thought of an idea to make them better. Instead of granting three iron resources, why not have the city that builds the Mines of Gal Dur "discover" three iron resources within its fat cross. This would dramatically increase the production of the city, which seems to be the intent of the wonder. The additional Engineer slots and other benefits seem alright. Maybe it could also increase the chance of discovering mineral resources, like an additional Earth Mana or something.

 

[Roghar]

I think its a very useful wonder in its own right. You get iron without needing iron working, ability to trade iron, engineer slots and GP production. Actually giving the iron resource within the fat cross would improve it massively. If it were to have that effect you'd probably need to remove the 3 bonus irons and cut back engineer slots.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I don't think so. That could mean losing other resources, and would require replacing the improvements around the city. By that point in the game, I tend to have my cities's fat crosses developed the way I want them.


If only I knew how to require techs in order to get weapons promotions, I would return the Mines to the way I modded it before; granting 1 (or 2) free mithril, iron, and copper (or gold). I would rather be able to make it provide different numbers of different resources (e.g., 2 iron, 2 copper, 1 marble, 1 earth mana, 1 gold, 1 mithril, and 1 gems) but that would require a SDK change, which is beyond me. I've already suggested this xml change a couple of times:

<FreeBonuses>
    <FreeBonus>
        <FreeBonusType>BONUS_IRON</FreeBonusType>
        <iNumBonus>2</iNumBonus>
    </FreeBonus>
    <FreeBonus>
        <FreeBonusType>BONUS_GOLD</FreeBonusType>
        <iNumBonus>1</iNumBonus>
    </FreeBonus>
    <FreeBonus>
        <FreeBonusType>BONUS_GEMS</FreeBonusType>
        <iNumBonus>1</iNumBonus>
    </FreeBonus>
    <FreeBonus>
        <FreeBonusType>BONUS_MITHRIL</FreeBonusType>
        <iNumBonus>1</iNumBonus>
    </FreeBonus>
    <FreeBonus>
        <FreeBonusType>BONUS_COPPER</FreeBonusType>
        <iNumBonus>1</iNumBonus>
    </FreeBonus>
</FreeBonuses>

 

[Caradoc]

I forget, if you switch from RoK, do you get to keep Gal Dur?

 

[aku]

Yeah. Just like you keep that Tower wonder when you switch from OO.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

You keep it, but it will be destroyed if you (or someone else of your state religion with whom you have open borders) casts Inquisition in that city (just like the Tower of Complacency).

 

[kioras]

I think it would be more interesting if the mines gave a gold, a gems and an iron, instead of 3 iron.

Gems is sometimes an issue as you need it for the priests of kilmorph too.

 

[it-ogo]

I think its a very useful wonder in its own right. You get iron without needing iron working, ability to trade iron, engineer slots and GP production.

Now you can not upgrade your units to Iron weapon without Iron working.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I'm pretty sure you can. You just don't get the iron resource from your iron mines until Iron Working. You still get iron from the wonder though, and your units can get the weapons promotion immediately.

I've requested that they change this many times, but it hasn't been changed yet.

I'm thinking that in my modmod I'll get set WEAPON_PROMOTION_TIER1, WEAPON_PROMOTION_TIER2, and WEAPON_PROMOTION_TIER3 to NONE and instead grant the promotions through a spell. I'd likely give the promotions different strengths and weaknesses, and make the spell cost gold (Bronze and Iron would be about the same, but Iron would be much cheaper. Mithril would be better much very costly) in addition to requiring the resource and tech. Doviello units could steal weapons promotions from their victims.

 

[Ringtailed]

Yeah, you can get iron weapons promotion without iron working if you have an iron resource. You can't get iron from mines before iron working, but you can get it from mines of galdur or the Infernal/Mercurian Palace. I found this out the other day when I was playing Infernals for the first time in a while. Of course it didn't really do me any good since I modded warriors/axemen to not use iron weapons >_<

 

[giddion]

That kind of raises a good point;

Should warriors be allowed to use iron or mitheral?
And Should axemen be allowed to use mitheral?

Some restriction to lower tech units should exist. They should be able to use the next material up from them but no higher.

2 cents I guess

 

[Rod]

I would suggest to turn the Mines of Gal Dur into a special improvement that gives it special boni only after you have researched Mother of the Earth and Arete in the same way as Yggdrasil gives higher boni with Way of the Forest etc.

Somebody it feels odd to me to build the mines in a city but maybe it is just me.(Maybe I also just like the special improvements, they really add flavor to the map and I always try to collect them even when they are useless like Odio's Prison - I my current game I have already collected Yggdrasil, Mirror of Heavens and Odios Prison and Sepulcher's Crypt is in reach, but I have still to assemble resources to overcome Barbatos. 5-6 Horseman should actually do the job )

 

[Goodgimp]

Now you can not upgrade your units to Iron weapon without Iron working.

In my game I played yesterday (with latest patch), I did not have iron working but built the Mines, and all eligible units upgraded to Iron weapons. Was quite nice.